Gun adapted to be fired at high elevations.



K. VLLER. GUN ADAPTED T0 BE FIRBD AT HIGH BLBVATIONS.

APPLICATION FILED APE. 4, 1911.

Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

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MTN E 5 5 E 5 /WJZ 1HE Narems PErHliS co.. Prioraumo.. WASHING mN. D, c.

K. VLLER. GUN ADAPTBD T0 BE FIRED AT. HIGH ELEVATIONS- APPLICATION FILED APB.. 4, 1911.

Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

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THE NORRIS PETERS 120,.v PHORTLITHO WASHINGIUN. D. C,

K. VOLLER.

GUN ADAPTED TO BE PIRED AT HIGH ELBVATIONS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 4 1911. 1,1 31,445. Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

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1HE NaRRlS PEtEHs PHDmLITH. WASHING IDN. D. C.

K. VOLLER. GUN ADAPTED T0 BE FIRED AT HIGH ELEVATIONS. APPLICATION FILED APR. 4, 1911.

1, 1 3 1 ,445. Patented Mau.` 9, 1915.

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MTJESSES THE "CHRIS PETERS PHUMUTHO.. WASHINGUN. D- C.

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KARL VLLEE,

F DUSSELDORF, GERTJIANY, ASSIG-NOR T0 RHEINISCHE METALL- CORPORATION 0F GERMANY.

GUN ADAPTED T0 BE FIB-ED AT HGH ELEVATIONS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

Application led April 4, 1911. Serial No. 618,911.

T0 all fil/'hom t may concern Be it known that I, Kann neer, a subject of the German Emperor, residing at 12 Scharnhorststrasse, Dusseldorf, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Guns Adapted to be Fired at High Elevations; and 1 do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

1n guns adapted to bc 1fired at high elevations the gun barrel must be brought from the position of high elevation into a particular position for loading it. For this purpose, in the majority of cases a coupling between the elevating mechanism and the barrel is disconnected and then the breech end of the barrel is swung upward independently of the elevating mechanism.

According to the present invention, in such constructions the gun is fitted with a spring which tends to re-connect the barrel with the elevating mechanism. Preferably there is a locking device which locks this spring as long as the barrel is being loaded, but is automatically released after the gun has been loaded, for example by the closing of the breech.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing the invention is illustrated, Figure 1 being a side elevation of the gun barrel in the horizontal position and the part-s connected with it, Fig. 2 a cross section through the trunnions, Fig. 3 a plan, Fig. 1 a detail view, Fig. 5 a side elevation of the barrel at its maximum elevation, the loading position being shown in dotted lines, and Fig. 6 a side elevation showing a modification. Figs. 7 and 8 show in side elevation a further modification. Fig. 9 is a. plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 7.

The cradle 1, on which the barrel 2 recoils when the gun is fired, turns freely about trunnions L1 mounted on the cheeks of the gun carriage 5. The trunnions 4 can turn in sleeves 6 forming the journals of the toothed segment 7 and adapted to turn freely in the bearings in the cheeks of the gun carriage. Each toothed segment 7 is guided by the seg- VLLnn, engimental flange 8 of the cradle support 3, and 55 engages the pinion 9 of an elevating mechanism. r1`he toothed segment carries an aiming device of any known construction, which is not shown in the drawings.

In a guide-way 10 fixed to the cradle 1 there slides a catch 11 which is continuously urged by a spring 12 into such a position that it engages a projection 13 on the toothed segment. This projection 18 rests against a face of the guide-way 10, whereby cradle 1 and segment 7 are coupled together so as to be incapable of relative movement. Vhen the segment 7 is operated, therefore, the cradle 1, barrel 2 and the aiming device are moved with it.

The catch 11 carries an eye 14 with which is connected by link 15 an arm 17 keyed to a shaft 16. The latter can be turned by raising the free end of the bent lever 19 centered on pin 18, the movement being transmitted by link 2O to the arm 17. When shaft 16 is turned toward the right, the catch 11 is withdrawn from engagement with the segment 7 and the coupling between the latter and cradle 1 is released. 1t is then possible to swing the cradle 1 and barrel 2 from a high elevation such as that shown in Fig. 5 into the loading position (shown dotted in Fig. 5), while the toothed segment 7 with the elevating mechanism 9 and the aiming device, remain at rest.

With a pin 21 on the gun carriage is connected a spring 22, the other end of which is connected with a pin 23 fixed to the cradle at a suitable place. 1f now the cradle support 3 or the cradle 1 is turned relatively to the toothed segment the spring 22 is extended and tends to turn the cradle carrier into the coupling position. 1n this construction the spring 22 may also serve to balance in all positions of the gun the system oscillating about the trunnions, which is overweighted at the muzzle end owing to the fact that the axis of the trunnions is behind the center of gravity of the system. As will be seen from the drawings, the moment of the spring 22 which tends to rotate the barrel around the axis of the trunnions varies continuously with the variation of the position of the barrel. Now it is quite easy to arrange the spring so that it completely balances the weight of the forward part of the gun in all positions of the barrel, or so that its forceA is always in excess of that of the weight, the excess sutlicing to return automatically the barrel from the loading position to the firing position. Such a construction is shown in Fig. 6 and will presently be described.

If there is excess weight at the muzzle end of the gun, it is advisable that one end of the spring 22 (that engaging pin 21)'should be fixed to the toothed segment 7 instead of to the carriage 5, as shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9. rihe spring 22 is then directly between those vparts whichare disconnected when the gun is moved into the loading position and exerts no influence on the movement of the elevating mechanism when the gun is being aimed.

In the guide-way 24 on the cradle l, slides abolt 26 under the action of a spring 25, and when the breech block 27 is closed, this bolt abuts against the under surface thereof. When the breech is opened, bolt 26 moves upward and turns the two armed lever 28 on pin 29 carried by the cradle, so that the free end of the lever descends until a. projection 30 thereon engages in a corresponding notch 3l in the toothed segment 7. The notches 3l are constructed as ratchet teeth, that is to say they allow the projection 30 to slide over them in the direction in which it moves as the barrel is turned into the loading position, but prevent relative movement of the lever and the notches in the other direction.

When the barrel 2 is turned, after releasing the coupling ll, from the position for firing at a high elevation (Fig. 5) into the loading position, spring 22 is extended and the barrel tends to swing back into the firing position. But as soon as the breech is opened projection 30 of lever 28 engages in a notch 8l of the toothed segment 7, and thus locks the spring 22, preventing return of the barrel into the firing position, so that loading is easily effected. But as soon as the breech is closed, it presses down bolt 26, slipping over the incline 32 thereof. The lever 28 is thus turned out of engagement with notch 3l and the spring 22 automatically returns the barrel to the firing position. i The construction shown in Fig. 6 differs from that already described in that the pin 23, with which is connected one end of the Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the spring 22, is not fixed to theicradle l. Instead7 there is attached to the trunnionV 4L an arm 33, which follows all oscillationsof the barrel and has a slot 34 radial to the axis of the trunnion. In this slot slides the pin 36, withV which spring 22 is connected. Pin 36 also slides in a curved groove 37 in the cheek of the carriage 5. The curve is eccentric to the trunnion axis, so that the pin 36, in all positions of the barrel, assumes another, pre-determined position `to the axis of rotation of the barrel. Therefore on varying the positionvof the barrel the point of application of, and the leverage for, spring 22 varies,

be brought to the desired magnitude.

I claim as my invention:-

so that the moment of the spring for each position of the barrel can l. In combination with the barrel of a gun adapted to be fired at high elevations, and a carriage therefor to which the barrel is rigidly connected when inv firing position and from which it is disconnected when the barrel is being turned into or from firing position, a coupling for so connecting the barrel and said carriage, and a spring connected at one end to the barrel on one side of its t'runnions and connected at its other end to said carriage on the opposite side 'of said trunnions, said spring being placed under tension when the barrel is being moved from iring to loading position to effect the auto matic return firing position.

2. The combination with a gun and its support upon which itsY trunnions are pivotally mounted, said support having a grooveA eccentric to the axis of the trunnions, of a member projecting radially from one of said trunions having a longitudinal slot, a pin fitted in said slot and extending into said groove, and a spring connected to the support on one side of the trunnions and at its other end to said pin, the turning moment of the force of the vspring relatively to the axis of the trunnions having a predetermined value for any position of the gun.

In testimony whereof, I have `signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

KARL VOLLER. Witnesses:

J. M. Bowooox, MARTA L. THOMPSON.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

